Vandalia

Jefferson County, West Virginia

Overlooking the Potomac River and C&O Canal National Park in historic Jefferson County, West Virginia, this new limestone home was designed to convey the story of a house that had grown over time. At the beginning of the design process a storyboard was developed to set a fictitious construction date for each portion of the building. These dates were then used to inform the detailing of the various parts of the house by borrowing period specific elements from local precedents and the region’s rich architectural heritage.

The building is grounded by a wing of local limestone that is carefully constructed to maintain the material’s time-worn patina. The structure continues with ‘later additions’ of frame and clapboard construction, all capped with standing seam metal roofs and dormer windows. Principal rooms and a two-story porch structure capture the sweeping river views. The storyline is punctuated with various outbuildings, including a garage, icehouse and restored historic cabin, also known as Cliff House.